


Sick

by SimplyLeez



Series: Stranger Thing One Shots [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Caring, Domestic Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Illnesses, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 15:15:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15951974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplyLeez/pseuds/SimplyLeez
Summary: Jonathan is sick, which he hates to admit, and Steve is left to take care of him and dote on him (and Jonathan kind of doesn’t mind).





	Sick

Jonathan hated being sick or getting sick or recovering from sickness. Hated it. It was a huge inconvenience. So, he ignored it until it was too late, until he was sniffling, throwing up, and sweating like mad. It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to help fix the illness, no, he’ll wrestle Will back to bed when he is ill, and he’ll even give his mom hell if she’s too sick and demands on working. No, Jonathan’s just shitty at self-care.

And Steve came to find this out on a gloomy Monday, it’s overcast, looking like it’ll rain any minute, but he still sits just on the hood of his car, waiting. He’s not sure what for. Maybe for the bell to ring. Maybe for a certain shy boy to park up right next to him like he usually does these days. Probably the latter. Jonathan pulls up only moments later, it seems like longer, and Steve jumps off his car to greet him.

He takes in Jonathan’s usual slouched form as he gets out of the car, swinging his bag over his shoulder slowly, lethargically. And Steve knows something isn’t right. “Jon, you alright?” He asks, loud but worried all the same, and Jonathan looks up at him, eyes unfocused with dark bags underneath, his cheeks and nose are a little red despite it not being that cold and the rest of him looks so pale, almost like white porcelain.

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine,” Jonathan replies, voice scratchy and low, and Steve knows he’s sick now but stops himself from both coddling him where he stands and chastising him for even leaving the house in this state. “How long have you been sick?” He asks instead, laying a hand on Jonathan’s shoulder to comfort him but also trap him where he stands. Jonathan looks from him to the ground and back up again, “three days I guess,” he replies, giving a little shrug afterwards as if it’s nothing.

“I don’t suppose I can convince you to go home and take care of yourself?” Steve asks, a dorky smile on his face when Jonathan smiles in that small, shy way, just stopping short of laughing. “No, I’m fine, really,” he tries to reassure Steve, but he can see right through him. “You’re such a bad liar, Jonny,” Steve says but he wraps his arm around Jonathan’s shoulder and drags him towards the school, “if I can’t persuade you to go home then I’m taking care of you after school. No ifs and no buts, it’s happening whether you like it or not.”

And Jonathan isn’t sure if he likes the idea or not, but he doesn’t protest, he lets Steve ramble about something else he did over the weekend as they walk to their lockers and then to class, Steve’s arm barely leaving from around his shoulder the whole way.

The day passes like it usually does. Boring lessons followed by more boring lessons, well, at least they are to Steve. He sits with Nancy at lunch which should be awkward, but it isn’t now that he’s not her only ex that is still friends with her. But her other ex-boyfriend, Jonathan, doesn’t show, undoubtedly hiding away somewhere to avoid showing Steve just how sick he really is. Still he catches him after school, stuffing a few books into his locker between sniffling and rubbing his eyes.

“Still sick I see,” Steve quips, settling against the locker beside Jonathan’s, and he smiles gently when Jonathan jumps a little, startled by Steve’s sudden presence. “Yeah,” Jonathan rasps out, sounding a hell of a lot worse than this morning and it doesn’t help him when he sneezes suddenly, wincing himself at the sound. “That’s it, I’m definitely taking care of you tonight, no questions,” Steve rationalises, pulling Jonathan out of the school as soon as his locker slams shut.

“Steve, honestly, I can take care of myself,” Jonathan argues the best he can but it’s weak, he lets himself be dragged to Steve’s car and pushed into the passenger’s seat. “Steve, I have my car here, I can drive,” he says when Steve gets in the driver’s side. Steve just looks at him for a moment, motioning for him to buckle his belt and he does so regardless, then Steve is driving them out of the parking lot and on the road.

“I know,” Steve says finally, nodding his head a little but not taking his eyes off the road, “I can’t let you drive like this though, can I? What kind of friend do you think I am?” Jonathan hums, understanding his words but not quite taking them in, so, he leans his head back against the headrest. “I’ll drive you to school in the morning, if you’re well enough, and don’t think for a second I won’t check on you,” Steve continues, eyes harsh and focused on the road but Jonathan feels a silly sort of warmth inside of him because Steve really cares. After everything, after all the shit, Steve is here, caring for him which is… odd but nice.

He’s not sure how long it takes but they’re at his house quick enough, Steve is unbuckling his belt and making his way around the car. Jonathan gets himself out of the car, showing he’s not completely incapable but he still gives Steve his keys to unlock the door. “Is anyone home?” Steve asks, fumbling a little with the keys before he unlocks and opens the door for them to step inside. “No, mom is still at work and Will is at Mike’s tonight,” Jonathan responds, lazily taking off his shoes and putting his bag down as soon as he can, Steve shutting the door behind them before copying Jonathan’s actions.

“Good, good,” Steve says absentmindedly, “here.” He drags Jonathan over to the couch, not letting go until he’s sitting down. “Blankets?” He asks. “There’s one on my bed, the bedroom just on the right down the hall,” Jonathan replies and Steve nods. He disappears and returns with the blanket, draping it carefully over Jonathan. “Tea? Coffee? Something to eat? Wait- did you eat lunch?” Steve babbles, hands flailing as he talks, and Jonathan can’t help smiling, laughing light but rough.

“Yeah, I had lunch, and tea would be nice,” he replies, smiling to himself when Steve leaves the room, his head bobbing and Jonathan can hear him talking to himself in the kitchen, but he pretends to ignore him. And Jonathan doesn’t mind getting sick again if this is the outcome. A nice, hot tea in his hands, swaddled in a blanket with Steve Harrington curled up beside him, his head resting on his shoulder as they watch the television.

He stays off school tomorrow. And he’s silently really happy when Steve turns up at his door with an assortment of snacks and some movies, snickering about skipping school and doting on Jonathan all over again.


End file.
